Using the swingset

ArcticFox

When did you/would you let your DC climb on the swingset on their own?

What I mean is - we have a nice playset/swingset.  There is the swings portion and then the 'clubhouse' part where the kids can climb up a ladder and then go down the slide.

I have ALWAYS been really vigilant about standing behind DD while she climbs up the ladder.  It is actually a ladder, not just rungs (more like steps) but I am paranoid about her falling off.  Maybe I'm overprotective, I feel a little spooked since DD's cousin (same age) fell off a ladder and broke her arm.

HarrietNJMommy

At age 3. Our swingset is large - rope wall, rock wall, chain ladder, and regular part. I don't have an issue with my girls climbing it, but DS is still small.

We have this swingset:

https://tinyurl.com/3gm7dmr 

renogaw

We got ours about a month ago.  DD is very good with the gross motor skills so I'll let her go up the normal ladder by herself (it sounds similar to yours...the steps are probably 3 inches deep or so).  She knows that she needs me or DH to stand behind her if she wants to go up the rock wall or the rope ladder.  She does fine with them, but it seems more likely that she'd fall on those than the normal ladder.

KristinKD

Age 3.

I know last summer I still needed to keep my hand on her back, but by the fall she could climb all by herself. At the playground she still needs help climbing up some of the trickier ladders (like the spiral ones) but she can handle swingset ladders just fine.

shellybird101

We got our swingset when DD was 1.5yr and she would climb the rock wall steps(they are just like layered rocks that acted just like steps) and would do just fine, she didn't even notice there was regular ladder till the next summer when she was 2 and then I would stand near her, but at the age of 3.5 she still likes going up the rock steps.

neverblushed

I'd watch her body language closely as she plays:

 --does she climb and move sturdily and steadily?

--does she utilize hand and footholds firmly?

--does she get her feet down and stop herself from shooting off the end of the slide, or would she fall on her butt if you didn't catch her?  Can she "put on the brakes" on a slide by dragging her feet or slowing herself down with her hands, and does she know when to do this? 

--is she aware of pitfalls such as edges where she could fall off, hazards she could trip over, places where she might bump her head, etc., or does she still have to be reminded?

--is she able to stay calm and regain balance and control if she slips or loses her grip?

--does she perceive stuff like how far away she has to stay from the swing to avoid being hit and plan accordingly as she moves around the swingset?

If you're hovering too much to effectively observe these things, consider backing off a little to see how she does.  If she already does these type of things competently, you can probably pull up a chair and just sit watching, instead of standing right beside her!  Like HarrietNJ said earlier, most kids reach this point at about age 3, but that can vary from kid to kid.

franciscaz

Maybe I'm just a pretty liberal mom but I've been letting Harmon play independently since he was 2.  Don't get me wrong I'm always there but I'm not hovering.

The twins I'm starting to let Cally be more like this.  He is transitioning.  My daughter has mild CP so I don't think I will let her be as independent for a really long time.  She really struggles with balance and so these play sets just scare me so much. 

tunanuna

My DS who is almost 4 still asks for help and needs encouragement on some of the climbing apparatus.  DD who just turned 2 1/2 has been fairly independent since before she turned 2.  As long as her legs are long enough to physically reach I let her go.  I try to be there the first time she tries something new but other than that I couldn't stop her or keep up with her if I tried.  

lite-bright

We have the same set-up, and I let her do it. I stood behind her the first few times, but now I just let her do her thing while I push DD2 on her swing. 

kada626

dd1 was allowed to go up without me hovering last year when we got our swingset. So she was a little younger than 3.

I hovered dd2 all last year on the swingset but now I just let her do it on her own. I figured she's had enough practice & she's a good climber.  She's a few months over 2.

sju

Around age 2.  DS has always been a good climber and by that age he could climb stairs at the big kids playground without problems.  DD is almost two and she is pretty good with stairs too. We have stairs at home.  We still stand next to her but considering that they have a playground at school and she has not fallen, we should probably give her more space.

luvmagoldn

HarrietNJMommy:

At age 3. Our swingset is large - rope wall, rock wall, chain ladder, and regular part. I don't have an issue with my girls climbing it, but DS is still small.

We have this swingset:

https://tinyurl.com/3gm7dmr 

I have been looking at this swing set and LOVE it!  Lots to do and plenty of room for three kids and their friends. 

HarrietNJMommy

luvmagoldn:

HarrietNJMommy:

At age 3. Our swingset is large - rope wall, rock wall, chain ladder, and regular part. I don't have an issue with my girls climbing it, but DS is still small.

We have this swingset:

https://tinyurl.com/3gm7dmr 

I have been looking at this swing set and LOVE it!  Lots to do and plenty of room for three kids and their friends. 

It's awesome. I've had 15 kids on the swingset and it's not crowded. The kids love it. DS is just starting to climb and use it........we bought a "forever" swingset. 

MrsAmers

Ditto everything Neverblushed said about watching her capabilities, but unless she has balance issues or is slipping often, you need to relax and step away from the playground equipment. You cannot (and should not) protect her from every possible injury she could encounter. No, I don't want my kids to get hurt...yet they still manage to get bumpbs and bruises while I'm standing RIGHT next to them (DS just did this yesterday on a plastic picnic bench). So since I can't prevent all injuries, I would rather they get them while also gaining confidence in their own climbing abilities. It is a skill they can't learn if I'm always right there helping. I will spot DD (a few months older than yours) if she asks, but otherwise I am totally hands off with her at any playground we go to.